Direct electrochemical response of cytochrome c on a room temperature ionic liquid, N-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate, modified electrode

Cytochrome c (Cyt c) and a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), 2-methyl-N-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate ([2-MBPy][BF4]), were immobilized on the surface of a basal plane graphite (BPG) electrode. Direct electron transfer from Cyt c to BPG electrode was clearly observed. A pair of well-defined and reversible redox peaks could be obtained in a 0.13 M [2-MBPy][BF4] aqueous solution. The anodic and cathodic peak potentials of Cyt c were at −0.064 and −0.020 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), respectively. The results showed that [2-MBPy][BF4] promoted the direct electron transfer between Cyt c and the BPG electrode. Cyt c immobilized on BPGE can catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. Based on this, a biosensor can be constructed to detect quantitatively hydrogen peroxide.